The New York Knicks have been looking to add a center to their roster ever since they lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have been linked to numerous bigs, but nothing has materialized up to this point.
However, they have reportedly tried to pry a promising young center away from the Utah Jazz, as Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported that New York had a conversation with Utah for Walker Kessler.
“Per multiple sources, Utah has discussed Kessler previously in trade, including a stalled conversation with the New York Knicks. He doesn’t seem part of the team’s long-term plan,” Pincus wrote.
There is no indication that the Knicks and Jazz have been close to any sort of deal, and a player of his caliber could cost New York some draft capital, which is likely what has caused the talks to stall. Regardless, Kessler could solve a lot of problems for the Knicks and further enhance their depth for the 2024-25 season.
Kessler has been one of the game’s best interior defenders since coming into the league in the 2022-23 season. For his career, he is averaging 2.4 blocks and 8.0 rebounds per game, and has quickly made a name for himself as a top-tier defensive big.
As of now, the Knicks have Mitchell Robinson starting and Precious Achiuwa likely being the backup. Despite the talent between the two players being good, concerns about Robinson’s health and overall lack of size in the second unit have caused New York to go to the open market to look for Hartenstein’s replacement.
Kessler could be a strong fit for the Knicks, as he would easily slot in as the team’s full-time backup center and could be a serviceable option to start in the event Robinson goes down with an injury again. He would also give New York a second seven-footer to have at their disposal, which would solve the team’s size issue.
With one month until training camp, expect Kessler’s interest in the market to increase, and the Knicks should be one of those teams in strong pursuit of the young seven-footer and try to work out a deal.
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